This invention is directed to a method for reducing infiltration of air into a residence or other building, which reduction in air infiltration results in a reduction in heating and cooling requirements.
In insulating a building it has been the prior practice to reduce the infiltration of air into and within the building by applying caulk to fill some gaps between boards, voids and other locations where air would otherwise have an opportunity to seep into the building and from one location in the building to another location. For example, between two components of a double stud supporting a window header, there is typically a small gap in places where the two surfaces do not lay completely flat against each other. It has been the practice to apply a strip of caulk along such seams in order to fill in any gaps where air would tend to have an opportunity to flow. A disadvantage of this approach has been that this filling in of gaps provides is incomplete and, particularly over time as the abutting pieces move relative to each other, further gaps are formed which allow air to nonetheless flow between the abutting components. Caulk does not expand and contract sufficiently to keep such gaps sealed through seasonal cycles.